Karl Bushby, a British former paratrooper, is currently on the last leg of his 27-year-long journey, which began in 1998. As part of his journey, the 56-year-old man has traveled through 25 countries, war zones, deserts, jungles, and remote and politically troubled places on Earth, The Washington Post reported.
It all started when Bushby, aged 20, made a bar bet that required him to walk from the southern tip of South America to his home in England.
Who is Karl Bushby?
Bushby was born in Hull in 1969 and previously served as a paratrooper in the British Army. This experience fueled his appetite for challenge, travel and discovery.
During his military life, Bushy was exposed to physical hardship and foreign terrain. Also, being in the military made him think about death, especially after he lost several of his friends. “The emphasis was on the fact that life is short and you should live it to the best of your ability,” he was quoted as saying by The Washington Post. These factors created his desire to start his global walk at the age of 29. Interestingly, he did it with just $500.
All about the Goliath expedition
Bushby began his journey, which he called the Goliath Expedition, by standing on the outskirts of Punta Arenas, Chile. At first Bushby mapped the walk by hand, as in those days, “it was all paper maps, pencils and a calculator”. He believed the 31,000-mile expedition could take roughly 12 years. But it’s been 27 years and he’s still going.
Bushby has so far traveled through Patagonia, Central America, the Andes, Mexico, the USA, Russia, Mongolia and also parts of Asia.
He began his journey with two rules: Do not use transportation to get there and do not drive home until you arrive on foot.
His trip took much longer than he expected for several reasons, including financial issues, the COVID-19 pandemic, visa issues, travel bans, and political obstacles.
It is now on its final journey home to Hull and is expected to return by September 2026.
Bushby said he had “no support” and mainly slept in a tent along the road or occasionally in people’s houses if they were invited. Later, his family helped him financially while people started donating when they heard about his trek.
When he got to Canada in 2003, he got a book deal and was even approached by a production company about a movie based on his life. He even walked the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia. Later in 2006, it reached the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. He spent 57 days in custody in Russia after entering the country at the wrong border.
Bushby even faced financial problems in 2008 when his sponsors pulled out. In 2013, he was also banned from entering Russia for five years.
In August last year, he swam across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. This lasted for 31 days while he slept every night on support boats. He then went through Turkey and into Europe. He was recently in Hungary and is now expected to be roughly 932 miles away from his home in Hull, England.
1. How long does Karl Bushby walk on his Goliath Quest?
Karl Bushby has been on his global journey since 1998. His journey has now spanned 27 years due to financial disputes, visa issues, political restrictions and long pauses during the pandemic.
2. When is Karl Bushby expected to complete his journey?
Bushby is currently on the final leg of his walk across Europe and is expected to arrive in his hometown of Hull, England by September 2026, completing his 31,000-mile expedition.
